Refrigeration system and method



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Patented July 14, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT. OFFICE PORATION, A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE REFRIGERATION" SYSTEM AND METHOD Application filed March 25, 1926. Serial No. 97,393.

My invention relates to improvements in the art of refrigeration. The object of my invention is generally to provide for a more cleanly, economical, and 'efficient means of refrigeration than obtains at present. In the art of refrigeration ice is, so far as known at present, the cheapest refrigerant. The use of it, however, is objectionable in many ways. It is difficult to cut the pieces to fit the requirements of a refrigerator without waste and without a good deal of messiness. In using ice for household purposes this feature is especially objectionable, as it tends to so much confusion and wetness around the refrigerator. In use a serious objection is that it has to be renewed so often, and when the ice box is substantially full, the cooling effect is rapid and almost too intensive, but as the ice melts and the water runs away, the cooling surface becomes gradually reduced, and before the ice is melted and a newsupply put in the refrigerator, the cooling eifect is so low as to be ineffective and of practically no use. In my improved system, however, I obviate all these difficulties. I freeze theice in a closed containergwhich can be placed in the refrigerator without the slightest mess or disturbance, and as the ice melts, the water is not drained away, but stays in the container so that the extent of the cooling surface is constant, and remains so until the ice is substantially all used or melted. Thus the cooling effect is regulated or controlled so that the temperature of the refrigerated space is substantially constant, and furthermore by reason of this control. the refrigerating ef fect lasts very much longer than where the melted ice runs to waste, with the result that the refrigerant has to be supplied to the refrigerator only at long intervals, which is a decided advantage in many ways, as will be apparent.

In carrying out this idea I also provide a refrigerator in which the circulation is ad vantageously promoted, and the warm air Figure 3 is a front elevation of the refrigerator partly in section and with therefrigerant containers removed, and

Figure 4 is a vertical section on the line 44 of Figure 3.

I have shown my system in connection with a refrigerator 10, which can be any cooling chamber, as for example, car, vault, household refrigerator or the like, and so far .WALTER LIGHT BODMAN, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO THE INSULATION COR- I as its general construction is concerned it can be of any approved character, but should have the walls well insulated, and tight doors. I prefer in carrying out my system, to use a refrigerator of the cation for Letter-s Patent of the United States filed March 25, 1926, Serial No. 97,892.

As illustrated, the refrigerator 10 has in the top space 11 corresponding to that of the ordinary ice box, in which are fitted casings type shown in my appli 12 which are open only in front and which fit nicely in the space 11, extending from front to rear,'butleaving a flue 13 between the outer sides of the casings 12 and the wall of the refrigerator, and leaving also a continuation 14 of said flues above the casings 12. Obviously there can be any desired number "of these casings. I prefer to use between the casings. a refrigerant container 15 which is removed only at long intervals, and which has openings horizontally therethrough to receive removable drawers 17 which can con- 'Ihese chambers tain water or other liquid to be frozen. In the door 19 in front of the container 15 are removable plugs 18 which come opposite the drawers 17, and which are removed to permit the removal of the drawers. The door 19 can be of any approved type. In the bottom of each casing 12 are slots 20 which can be used to promote circulation between the containers therein, which will be presently referred to, and these slots may be opened or closed by the damper or slide plate 21 beneath each casing, this plate having a slot 22 therein to register with the slots 20. The dampers or slide plates can be moved to open or .close the slotsreferred to, in any convenient way. I have shown two dampers 21 connected by a rod 23 which has an operative connection by means of the crank '24 with a transverse shaft 25 extending forward through the refrigerator and provided with a suitable handle 26.

I use closed containers27 for the refrigerant, which can be frozen water or other liquid having a lower freezing point than water, and these fit nicely in the casing 12 bllt so as to leave a little space between the containers and between the sides and tops of the containers and the adjacent casing wall. The space between the containers-27 in each casing registers with the slots 20 in the casing bottoms. I findit convenient for most purposes to have the casings 12 arranged to receive two containers, but obviously they may be made to contain any number of'containers. The containers are easily removable, and have handles 27 on the front ends to facilitate such removal.

It will be noticed by reference to Figure 2 that the arrangement shown makes a downdraft flue 28 between the casings 12 and the container 15, but if the container were not used, the draft flue. would of course be between the two. casings. Below the containers I place a division plate 29- which is dish shape, and which is of such aWidth as to leave air ilues30 between its side edges and the adjacent. walls of the refrigerator 10.

, At the center the division plate is open as at 21 so as torconnectwith the flue 32' which is formed between the preservingor refrigerating casings 33, these being placed side by side inthe lower-part of the-refrigerator, and serving the ordinary purpose of carrying the materials to be stored in a refrigerator. 33 have openings 33 through the top and beneath the division plate 29, and openings 34'through their inner walls near thebottom. I have shown also a drip pipe 35 below the flue 3 2,"so that any small amount of water which may arise reason of precipitation can drain off;"but there is no drip from melting ice, as the ice water is held: sealed in thecontainer 2? or 15, s t t m y l l ehemhers. .3 can be of shelves 36.

In Figure 2 I have shown the upper part of the refrigerator provided with doors 37, and the lower part may also be provided with these or other doors, and in fact any desired door arrangement for the refrigerator, and any general design for the refrigerator itself, can be used without affecting the invention.

It will be seen that when the containers 27 are placed in the refrigerator, the warmer air from the lower part of the refrigerator will rise from the openings 33, pass upward through the flues 30 and 13, thence transversely through the flues 14, thence downward through the fiues 28, and finally down through the flues 32 and openings 34: to the chambers 33 without coming in contact with the refrigerant containers 27 but only with the wall of the casing 12, and thus the ice in the container is not too rapidly melted. Thus the cold air is constantly displacing the warmer air ofthe chamber 33, which must of necessity pass out through the openings 33, and a constant positive circulation is maintained. It will further be noticed that the cooling surface, that is the surface of the casings 12 and containers 27-, remains constant as the ice melts, and as a result. a very even temperature is maintained in the refrigerator until the ice is almost entirely consumed. For this reason I find that in refrigerators of ordinary capacity,.renewals of the containers are not necessarymore than twice a week, and-seldom more than once a: week, and it will be further observed that the renewal of the containers is avery simple matter, as they are simply taken from the'refrigerator, cold ones substituted, and the removed ones again chilled.

In practice the slots: 20 can be kept closed until the ice is. pretty well melted, after which they may be opened, and ardown draft-will occur between the containers 2.7- and through the flue 32 and chambers 33.

Iclaim:

1. A refrigerator having a cooling chamber anda preserving-part, a closed container having a frozen refrigerant therein in said cooling chamber, means directing a circulationof air-through the preservingpartofthe refrigerator and in. proximity to but out of contact With the refrigerant containemfland means permitting aportion only of the air thus circulating to circulatein and cutof the cooling chamber and thus come into direct contactwith. the refrigerant container.

2. The improvement inthe art of-refrigeration which comprises placing inarefrigera tor ayfrozen. refrigerant ina closed container whereby the melted liquid of therefrigerant is held from wasting and a constant cooling surface maintained, and-regulating. the circulation of. air in-proximitytobut out of contact with the: refrigerant. container, and

through the containing and preserving part of the refrigerator.

3. A refrigerating system comprising a refrigerator having preserving or material containing space therein, and easily removable closed containers containing frozen refrigerant together with means for promoting an air circulation through the preserving part of the refrigerator and in proximity to but out of contact with the containers.

4. A system of refrigeration comprising in its organization a refrigerator having a preserving chamber, a refrigerant casing, a removable refrigerant container fitting loosely in the casing, and circulation fiues arranged to circulate air from the preserving chamber around the casing but out of contact with the refrigerant container a means operable to permit air to circulate from the preserving chamber through the casing in direct contact with the refrigerant container when the temperature in the container drops to a substantially predetermined temperature.

' 5. A system of refrigeration comprising in its organization a refrigerator having a preserving chamber and a refrigerating space thereabove, a pair of refrigerating casings in said space, spaced from the sides and top thereof and defining a flue therebetween for the circulation of air, closed containers having a frozen refrigerant therein removably mounted in said casing in spaced relation, draft flues in said casing, a means for opening said draft fines to permit independent circulation of air through said casings in direct contact with said containers.

6. A system of refrigeration comprising in its organization a refrigerator having a preserving chamber and a refrigerating space thereabove, a pair of refrigerating casings in said space, spaced from the sides and top thereof, means providing for continuous circulation of air from said preserving chamber through said refrigerating space in contact with said refrigerating casings, closed containers having a frozen refrigerant therein removably mounted in said casings in spaced relationship, and means for control ling the circulation of air through said casings to permit independent circulation of air in said casings in direct contact with said containers, said means being adapted to be operated when the temperature of the refrigerant in said containers drops to a predetermined temperature.

7. A system of refrigeration comprising in its organization a refrigerator having a preserving chamber and a refrigerating space thereabove, a pair of refrigerating casings in said space, spaced from the sides and top thereof, and defining a flue therebetween for the circulation of air, closed containers having a frozen refrigerant therein removably mounted in said casing in spaced relation, draft flues in said casing, a means for ing trays therein adapted to receive a liquid to be frozen.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification this 17th day of March, 1926.

- WALTER LIGHT BODMAN. 

